Human Psychology is a dynamic process which takes place in its own unique way. It is one phenomenon that could not be altered in any simple way. It needs tedious efforts to be understood and real stab to be manipulated.
The factors that could bring change to the human thinking process could be various. For example, change in the behaviors of other humans, change in ambiance; sudden traumas, temptations, erotica, weathers, pleasures and displeasures.
In a man’s nature there are certain factors which need to be understood in depth in order to make him do what is desired. Similarly, the fact that climate change could not be dealt unless the human beings realize that they are responsible for bringing about climate change through their unfriendly activism towards nature.
The mankind is in an urgent need of catharsis to bring about the realization for all the self centered deeds that they commit against the Mother Nature. Such deeds are the ones which are responsible for the degradation of our fragile environment, disturbance of natural phenomenon, and alterations of the biological cycles which run the climate systems.
“The Climate Change, Sustainability, & Psychology Program” of “Psychologists for Social Responsibility” (PsySR) is a group of mental health professionals seeking to increase awareness of the psychological repercussions of climate change and environmental degradation and develop novel methods to deter the harm these planetary problems are creating.
To alter the human psychology and induce the desire to protect and preserve the nature, as well as to alter the human phenomenon bringing about climate change, individuals, communities, organizations, corporations, and governments need to be sensitized to reduce their overconsumption through encrypting the ideas, palpating inside every other human mind. This process could be best performed through the infusion of environ-mental perspective into our societal discourse to prevent psychological harm, bring justice, and restore the Earth for the continuance of humanity and its fellow species.
The human psychology, its culmination to bring changes to the environment and the devastation of the fragile climate system is a two way process. Therefore the uncontrolled maneuvers of human mind to destruct the environment for its use need an urgent check, or else there are the chances of infinite environmental cataclysms that will engender anxiety, depression, and social conflict among millions of people.
Psychology can make a significant contribution to limiting the magnitude of climate change by improving understanding of human behaviors that drive climate change and human reactions to climate-related technologies and policies, and by turning that understanding into effective interventions.
According to Paul Stern, who is an American Psychologist, “Psychological barriers impede behavioral choices that would facilitate mitigation, adaptation, and environmental sustainability”. He further holds that due to the said discourse, Structural barriers such as a climate-averse infrastructure also become part of the answer. Moreover the piece of literature on the interface of Human Psycology and Climate Change entitled “DRAGONS OF INACTION: Psychological barriers that limit climate change mitigation and adaptation”, explains the idea with a view encompassing that although many individuals are engaged in some ameliorative action, most could do more, but they are hindered by seven categories of psychological barriers : limited cognition about the problem, ideological worldviews that tend to preclude pro-environmental attitudes and behavior, comparisons with key other people, sunk costs and behavioral momentum, discredence toward experts and authorities, perceived risks of change, and positive but inadequate behavior change.
Another psychologist, Robert Gifford, puts forward the idea in the journal American Psychologist, Vol 66(4), that; the psychological window on climate change adaptation is arguably indispensable to genuinely multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research and policy initiatives addressing the impacts of climate change.
An interesting study entitled “The psychological impacts of global climate change”, by Thomas Doherty and Susan Clayton, describes three classes of psychological impacts: A) Direct e.g., acute or traumatic effects of extreme weather events and a changed environment; B) Indirect e.g., threats to emotional well-being based on observation of impacts and concern or uncertainty about future risks; and C) Psychosocial e.g., chronic social and community effects of heat, drought, migrations, and climate-related conflicts, and postdisaster adjustment.
Responses include providing psychological interventions in the wake of acute impacts and reducing the vulnerabilities contributing to their severity; promoting emotional resiliency and empowerment in the context of indirect impacts; and acting at systems and policy levels to address broad psychosocial impacts.
This Article is Written By “Anusha Sherazi” Subject Specialist/Senior Author At Envirocivil.com
